Civil War veteran E.F. Heisler joined the effort in 1871 and established a small library in his office for a $1 fee.

The community embraced the new library, which featured a rose garden, fish pond, and museum.

The building was adorned with carved heads of classic authors and poets and featured a life-size portrait of Mrs. Sarah Richart.

In 1910, the City of Argentine was annexed, and W. W. Thomas, through an agreement with local businesses, created a public library in a storefront with Miss Hazel Beeler was the first librarian.

[4] This facility survived the 1951 flood and, by the 1970s, housed the largest Spanish Language collection in the metro area.

In 2012 the current South Branch opened at a cost of $6 million, one third of which was acquired by the fundraisers of local residents.

Over the years, service was provided via various vehicles, from a converted bread truck to the current fleet of three mobile libraries.

This facility offers visitors library materials on science and nature and houses a small menagerie of local animals.